Rocco Mediate still riding U.S. Open high into Buick Open

Stuart Bauer | The Flint JournalRocco Mediate kicks back while on the phone in the press tent after the Buick Open Pro-Am on Wednesday.

GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Michigan — It's been more than week since he hooked up with Tiger Woods for an epic duel at the U.S. Open, but the buzz surrounding his close call against the world's No. 1-ranked player hasn't died down for Rocco Mediate.

And chances are it won't this week at the Buick Open, where Mediate will make his first PGA Tour appearance since Woods beat him on the 19th hole of a playoff at Torrey Pines.

Everywhere Mediate goes — at home in Pennsylvania last weekend, Monday and Tuesday at the CVS Charity Classic in Rhode Island, Wednesday in the Buick Open pro-am — he hears about how exciting the playoff was to watch on TV.

"The amazing thing is how many people said, 'My mother or my father who never watches golf couldn't take their eyes off the television," Mediate said after shooting 6-under-par 66 in the pro-am. "Obviously, it wasn't because of me. It was because of Tiger.

"But it was (also) because of the match it turned into. If he was seven ahead with five to go, nobody would have watched it and that's why I think people turned it on and kept watching it. I heard hundreds of stories like that.

"That, 'My sister hates golf and she watched the whole thing and we couldn't believe it.' It's amazing. That's the power that he has, that he throws out."

Maybe so, but it was Mediate who endeared himself to sports fans everywhere with his easy going manner.

While Woods was his usual stone-faced self — focusing on nothing but the task at hand — Mediate was waving to fans, joking with anyone who would listen and having the time of his life.

Although he's won five PGA Tour events &mdashl; including the 2000 Buick Open — the loss to Woods is clearly the highlight of his 23-year career.

Mediate rallied from three shots down on the back nine in the playoff to take a one-shot lead only to see Woods birdie the 18th to force an extra hole, where he again made birdie to win his 14th major title.

Mediate was chasing his first major championship.

"I really couldn't be disappointed," said Mediate, 45. "Obviously, I wanted to win. I thought I would win when I woke up because I knew that par meant something. I figured anything from 69 to 72 would win the tournament and ... I knew I could do that.

"If it was anybody else that I would have lost to, I would have been devastated right now. But it wasn't. The guy does things that are just not normal by any stretch of the imagination. He does them all the time. Not every once in a while."

Mediate's season was mediocre until the last month.

During his first 16 events, he missed six cuts, withdrew from another tournament and his best finish was a tie for 36th at the Verizon Heritage.

But Mediate, who has battled back problems for his entire career, listened to physical therapist Cindi Hilfman when she told him to take small steps and work on making some cuts to build momentum.

Finally, things clicked four weeks ago The Memorial, where Mediate tied for sixth. That set the stage for his next event, the U.S. Open and the showdown with Woods.

Now, he's back at the Buick Open, where he was the first-round leader a year ago after shooting 64.

"This week is one of my favorite events," said Mediate, who has three top-10 finishes at Warwick Hills. "I've always liked Buick. I love it. I won here in 2000 and it brings back a lot of good memories."